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Karen, you were trained as an illustrator and commercial artist. What led you in that direction?

I always loved art and music. In fact, I was trained as a classical pianist for 13 years beginning at age 5.  As I look back I can see how I was preparing for the work I do today. I could not separate the two until I graduated from high school and chose the field of art. I guess I believed at that time in the plight of the struggling artist and felt that using my talents in an advertising agency would not only be exciting but lucrative, I also had a great love of photography and had the opportunity to work with photographers and models for ads and retail catalogs. Along with art direction, I created fashion illustrations for newspapers and magazines. It was an exciting time in NYC!

Why did you choose Art Institute of Boston to be trained?

I received a scholarship from the Art Institute of Boston, loved the New England area, so it was a perfect place to study. I will always remember one instructor, although very tough, took me from detailed black and white line drawings to mastering techniques in rich toned, full color paintings. I graduated from the Art Institute and moved back to NY to begin a career.

Do you still do commercial art?

No, I stopped when I got married and raised two children. At first, I had no free time but eventually as my children got older I did custom portraits, working from home.

What caused you to change directions with your art?

Not to make this a long tale, I will just say that life experiences caused me to rethink everything, who I was, what I was doing, and what would make me happy. I was married, had two wonderful boys, a beautiful home, yet there was a longing or calling from deep within that made me question my life and marriage. The death of my father and the collapse of my marriage took me in a new direction; a spiritual path, one that has led to great peace and gratitude. My life may still can have its challenges at times but the perspective from which I view my experiences are empowering and transformational. I will also add I am remarried now to a wonderful man and my beautiful sons are now in college. We also added to our family two Wheaton Terrier pups!

How did you begin soul paintings?

In 1990 I moved, was separated and felt I needed time to reflect and figure out what I would do with the rest of my life. My mother gifted me with a wonderful trip to Machu Piccu, an enchanted sacred place where many have traveled for healing and spiritual growth. I could talk forever about the exciting and miraculous moments I encountered on this spiritual journey where I was challenged on so many levels of my body, mind and spirit. During the trip, one evening on a small boat traveling down the Amazon River, one woman in the group decided to channel for all of us. I did not have much experience with channeling in the past but now I was in a circle and the message was directed towards me! I was told that I would paint soul portraits, had no idea what they were talking about but was told to go home, take some time alone, create a sacred place with candles and incense, and paint, trust, and that the image would come to me! Everyone on that trip supported the message by commissioning me to do their soul portraits. I figured I had nothing to loose and did love the challenge and the concept of higher beings of light working with me! I still laugh at the process but I did eventually, after quite a lot of frustration, kicking and screaming, manage to create a wonderful painting filled with animal totems, and symbols. I wasn’t really sure at the time what anything in the painting meant but that weekend not only transformed my art, but my life and has taken me on a glorious, excited journey.

A year or two later I was asked to be on a television show, “Alive and Well with Carol Martin“, in New Jersey; a show that focused on holistic healing. I was petrified but somehow moved through the fear and spoke about my soul portraits, unveiling the piece I created for the host, Carol Martin. By the time I got home that afternoon, there were at least 15-20 requests for soul portraits left on my answering machine and the work has continued to this very day. My paintings continue to evolve and deepen as I continue to grow. It is an exciting, passionate, soul experience that reaches beyond this human reality. I am always surprised and delighted with each painting I am honored to create.

What is the process in creating a soul painting?

First, I request a close up, clear photograph. When the client is local I prefer taking the photograph myself, for there is a moment or connection that I sense their soul or essence and I know I have captured it within my photograph. Images seems to come alive when I am in this space. I always do a meditation, prayer, and invoke protection. I ask for assistance from spirit and my guides to create this sacred painting. I sense or feel what and where images are placed, colors to use and what flower essences to incorporate in the paint. I go into a different space of pure creative flow and do not judge or try to figure out the mages. I get out of the way and allow the painting to unfold.

How does a person go about having a soul portrait done?

I can be contacted through my website or email. A close-up photo is sent to me along with a deposit. I do not ever rush my paintings and I have to admit, it is not at all like the advertising days with dead lines. My clients are very patient and I am extremely grateful for that. The portraits seem to always be completed at the perfect time. Currently I have a waiting list. The soul portraits are first drawn in pencil, then glazed and completed in full color. Recently I have also embellished the finished paintings with gold, silver, and crystals.

You use a lot of symbolism in your art. Do symbols have a special meaning to you and are there significant or subtle things you are trying to convey by including symbols in your art?

I believe that our connection to God, Divine light, higher power, and or spirit, can come to us through symbols, codes, colors, sound frequencies etc. I may not actually see God but I can sense him through the use of certain images and symbols that reflect his love. I believe that the symbols can hold the energy of what we need to contemplate or transform. Colors can soothe and heal. Images can reflect courage, strength, the release of fear within the human spirit. Symbols can represent higher power and connect us to that energy. Some symbols are general and obvious through the ages. In the Native American totems, animals represent different qualities, the lion reflects courage and strength, the eagle can be freedom or power, etc. Other symbols are much more abstract and take time to be understood through contemplation and meditation. I also use the patterns and designs from sacred geometry, that are the foundation of all things created and our relationship to the whole cosmos to balance, align or connect the soul to God.

You also do a lot of Angels and Fairies; what inspires your ideas?

I have always had a vivid imagination and as a child believed in magic, a pot-of-gold at the end of the rainbow; a magic carpet that could take you to wonderful magical places and angels guiding and surrounding us with light and love. I feel that the angels have intervened many times in my life. As an adult I still believe that anything is possible if we truly believe. The concept that we create our own reality rings true to me. I believe that the part of our brain that we do not use could have to do with higher sensing, intuition and accessing higher information in other realities.

How did you develop what you do?

My art is created through spiritual principles and continues to evolve as I heal, transform and empower myself through life. I do not believe you can find peace and joy in your life without spirituality. It gives you a bigger picture of life, a higher purpose for being here, a sense of connectedness with others and the desire to be of service helping others to heal and empower themselves. As you connect to higher power I feel you find your purpose in life and for me that was using my art to heal and transform not only myself but others as well. I have had a wonderful gift in life to be able to work with inner-city, incarcerated young men and women. Using art and meditation as a tool for transformation in this way has allowed me to experience the beauty of unconditional love. In this program I incorporate music for meditation and creative visualizations. Throughout the class these sound vibrations can balance, calm, and inspire creativity. We experience chanting and the use of mantras to relax, and open to spirit. I use my photographic background to build self esteem and gift each student with a small soul portrait upon leaving the program. I hope to continue this work in a greater capacity, reaching many more troubled youths.

Any advice to struggling artists?

My advice to anyone struggling, not only an artist, is to find your passion, find what you love to do. When you find your creative flow, however it manifests, whether it be through writing, dancing, teaching, cooking, singing, or what ever it may be, that creative flow connects you to your essences and soul. When you allow your soul to sing and share it with others, peace, love and abundance is created in your life. Go within and follow your heart!

To view more of Karen Goldsmith's beautiful artwork or if you would like to have your soul portrait painted by Karen, please visit her website: http://www.karengoldsmith.com.  If you would like to send her an email, her address is: karenkg1@comcast.net. 

All works are copyright.  Permission to use these images in any way must be obtained from the artist.